This Bond Between Us Can't Be Broken
by WizMonCruWil
Summary: "For one so small, you seem so strong... My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm... this bond between us can't be broken; I will be here, don't you cry..." Phil Collins, Tarzan. After fleshing out a little backstory in Beautiful, Beautiful Niece, I decided to run with that thread. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: Volunteering

**Chapter 1: Volunteering**

It was chaos in the Potter household.

Days-old Lily Luna Potter was squirming and wailing as her mother Ginny tried, in vain, to bring the baby to her breast for feeding. Beside them, Harry Potter was at the desk in his study, attempting to tune out the cacophony as he read up on every parchment about breastfeeding he could get his hands on.

When Harry and Ginny had begun to discuss having children, Ginny had made it clear from the outset that she wanted to breastfeed all her babies. "That's what Mum did," she explained. Harry hadn't argued the point. Traditions ran hard and deep in the Weasley clan, the family he had married into.

At first, things had gone well. James had come along, followed scarcely a year later by Albus. Both boys had been very receptive to their mother's attentions - sometimes too much, in the case of the former. Ron had once called little infant James a glutton. But now, no matter what Ginny did, Lily would latch on, then promptly turn away, screaming, as if she sensed something that her mother did not.

"I... I can't feel anything!" The quiver in his wife's voice made Harry look up from his papers. It was very rare that Ginny cried. She had cried at Fred's death, then funeral. She had cried happy tears at their wedding, and when their first child was born. But that still confined Harry to counting on one hand the number of times Ginny - tough, irrepressible, irreverent Ginny - had ever gotten emotional. And when she did, Harry had learned that you'd better ruddy well pay attention.

Harry breathed deep through his nose, keeping his temper in check. He was more than a little frazzled, and barely staving off sheer panic over the state of his wife. "What do you mean, you can't feel anything? Isn't there, you know, any milk there?"

"I thought there was!" Ginny said desperately. She bounced Lily nervously, pacing the room and fretting. "I... I could feel my breasts changing when I was carrying her. Same as I did for the boys. But now, it just feels... empty."

Harry seemed to freeze where he sat, as a shuddering thought fell into his head unbidden. No, it couldn't be... breast cancer? He didn't know much about the disease, or even how it might manifest itself in a pregnant woman/new mother. For a brief instant, he entertained the idea of calling his cousin, Dudley, who had grown up quite a bit, gone on to university and eventually became a renowned cancer doctor. Harry and Ginny were on Christmas card terms with his relative, and had even dined together a time or two, though it had been painfully awkward. Ginny knew all about her husband's sordid upbringing, and though Harry had been much more willing to forgive, she had not.

"You want me to call Dudley...?"

"NO!" Ginny shot down, as he knew she would. "We don't need to bring your cousin into this!"

"Well, damn it, Gin, what do you propose we do, then? It's an angle, and from where I'm standing right now, it's all I can think of!" Harry angrily threw down his copy of _The Joys and Benefits of Breastfeeding Your Magical Baby_ and stormed around the desk. "What was different about when you fed the boys? Try to remember! I can't very well figure out what's wrong unless you tell me!"

"I'm _trying_!" Ginny wailed.

CRACK! Ginny gave a little scream; Harry spun around, wand in his hand, nearly slipping on the polished hardwood floor of his office.

"Hermione!" he yelped.

Harry's sister-in-law froze when she saw the tense state of things. She bit her lip. "This is a bad time, isn't it?"

 _You think?_ , Harry wanted to say, but he held his tongue. He couldn't even remember the last time he and Hermione had fought; they got on famously. And really, it wasn't her fault she hadn't known how fragile things were. The birth from a couple of days before had been splendid, routine, Lily almost certainly the last in a line of 13 Weasley grandchildren, including the practically adopted Teddy Lupin.

Hermione's gaze traveled around Harry to rest on her best girlfriend. "What's wrong, honey?"

Ginny blinked back tears. "I can't feed her! It's like there's no milk in me! She's latching and latching and there's nothing I can give her!" She finally broke down. Hermione wheeled around to her brother-in-law, shaken.

"I've been busy pouring over parchments about alternative formulas, but nothing's helpful. And would it have killed someone to invent a charm that conjures breastmilk? But no... I have to watch my wife come apart, and I'm useless! I'm not supposed to be useless - I'm Harry Goddamn Potter!"

Hermione lay a gentle hand on his chest. "Calm down," she soothed. "I'll do it."

Harry blinked. "What?"

She flushed. "I... I still have some milk. Left-over from nursing Hugo. Let me nurse her." When her best friend still looked unconvinced, she clarified, "Just for now. Lily needs _somebody's_ milk, Harry. Maybe it will at least buy you guys some time." A thought struck her. "Have you tried Dudley?"

Harry opened his mouth to say that Ginny wouldn't let him, but his wife cut across him. "That bloody tosser doesn't need to know about this!" Harry closed his mouth.

Hermione shrugged. "Fair enough. It was just an idea." She wasn't exactly a big fan of Dudley's either, and Ron's opinions on the subject were even more crude. Not long after Rose was born, Harry had talked his best mates into joining in on a triple dinner date with himself, Ginny, Dudley, and Dudley's wife. It had been disastrous.

Turning to her sister-in-law, Hermione beckoned for Lily. "Lily... come here, little gumdrop..."

Ginny passed a squirming and wailing Lily into Hermione's arms, and Hermione awkwardly undid her top. Harry turned his body away, facing the wall, out of respect.

Hermione's bare breast in sight, Lily latched on instinctively and began to suckle. Hermione smiled down at her niece.

"That's it!" she crooned in baby talk. "Oh, you're just a greedy little guzzler, aren't you? Aren't you? You have a very strong appetite... like your mummy..."

Ginny's face went as red as her hair as she scowled. Behind them, Harry had to shove a fist into his mouth to hold back a snort. Daring himself to turn back, he watched in relief as Hermione fed his baby, her goddaughter.

It was something, for now.


	2. Chapter 2: Jockeying for Position

**Chapter 2: Jockeying for Position**

"Are you sure you're OK with this?" Harry asked Ron, as they left Auror Headquarters and joined the throng clogging the Ministry Atrium at the end of the work day. Hermione had been nursing Lily once a day for the past week-and-a-half, and she and Harry were already thinking about amping up the dosage to twice daily.

"Of course. And it's not like we have a choice, do we? Lily needs to eat, or she'll die, and Merlin knows you need someone to be the calming force in your house. She's Ginny almost all over, but that is pretty damn obviously your personality!"

Harry smirked. "How do you mean?"

"I mean you're a placid little git, except at the dinner table. Picky, picky, picky!"

"Hey, at least I ate whatever Hermione put in front of me in the tent! You'd never shut up about how your Mum could conjure good cooking out of thin air! Who was being picky then?"

Ron pointedly didn't answer, as he spied his wife jostling towards them through the crowd near the lifts.

"Hi," Hermione sighed, kissing Ron's lips gently, then a buzz on the cheek for Harry. "Still OK for us to stop at your place, Harry?"

"Course. Gin usually beats me home from the _Prophet_ ; she should be starting to get supper on the table for the boys. Follow me." And they headed for the lifts.

* * *

Albus was banging around in his high chair as the Golden Trio entered the Potter residence, and 3-year-old James was badgering his mother with questions.

"Hey, little bugger!" Ron ruffled his older nephew's hair, then pecked his sister's cheek over by the stove. "Don't bother setting a place for us, Gin, 'Mione and I will just be in and out."

"Oh," Ginny turned away from the stove to see Harry and Hermione behind her. "Right. Feeding time." She waved a hand. "Well. Get on with it, then."

Harry frowned hard, and Hermione took a sudden interest in whatever make-believe game Albus was playing. When the silence dragged on, Harry cleared his throat.

"She's... in the nursery, then?"

"Mm-hmm." Ginny didn't even turn around this time, resolutely stirring the pot of soup. Harry gave a jerk of his head to his best friend's wife. "Follow me."

Harry and Hermione proceeded up the stairs, and entered the nursery. Cooing could be heard from the crib.

"Just waking up from her nap. Perfect timing!" Harry made a mental note to keep a closer eye out for the baby monitor. Ginny had promised to have it on her at all times, even when she was at work. Though Audrey had been admirable in agreeing to baby-sit, which reminded him to talk Percy round into paying her for her trouble.

Hermione glided over to the crib. "Hi, Lily Bear," she crooned. "Are you hungry? Auntie's here..." She grunted a little as she picked the baby girl up, and Lily already turned into her with a curious ease. Within seconds, she was feasting.

Harry leaned against the door frame, silently observing. Hermione's back was to him, though she had already expressed to him that she didn't care if he saw her.

"You're practically my baby sister," Harry had waved away, feeling more awkward than he ever had in his life. "I care, all right?"

It took several minutes, but finally Lily had drunken her fill. Hermione lowered her niece back into the crib. "There we go..." she sighed, pulling up the blanket on the already-sleeping baby and kissing her forehead. There was something in the whites of her eyes, Harry spotted in that moment, a kind of... longing. Wistful sadness. Hermione glided towards him, and he pecked her cheek.

"You're the best, sis."

"Ron and I are trying for another baby." Hermione blurted it out, with no pretense.

Harry blinked rapidly once, then again. "Already? But Hugo was only born in April!"

It was the wrong thing to say, for to his great distress, Hermione suddenly began to cry. "I want to be pregnant again!" she whimpered. "I want Ron to look at me like I'm the most beautiful witch ever..."

Harry nervously chuckled. "Ron _always_ thinks you're the most beautiful witch ever!" She didn't take the bait, which only concerned him more. He could always get her to laugh. He had even succeeded once during those miserable winter weeks on the Hunt, when it had just been the two of them in the tent and they had both been so lonely, pining for and missing their significant others. Many years later, Hermione had once confided in her surrogate brother how she had already felt married to Ron in her heart, even then. Harry had to admit that, when it came to Ginny, he had felt the same.

A sudden thought struck him. Call it being related to a doctor, but Harry had discovered in himself an inherent knack for medically getting a read on people. Dudley notwithstanding, it hadn't been too long ago that he had discovered his mother had been a Healer, early on in his parents' marriage, before they'd had him. He now gripped Hermione by the shoulders.

"'Mione... are you... depressed? You know, post-partum?"

Tellingly, she refused to look at him. "I'm fine..."

"Don't you dare lie to me." The words were forceful, even if the tone was not.

She looked at him, lip quivering, tears back in her eyes. "Ron knows," she admitted at last. "He's been brilliant, so understanding... please, don't say anything!" she begged of him. "We don't want to worry the family, and a baby might still happen!"

Harry had several things he'd like to say on the matter, but he kept his mouth shut. Hermione's second pregnancy hadn't been smooth sailing, and the birth was touch-and-go. Harry had sat vigil in St. Mungo's all night, long after the rest of the Weasleys had left, refusing to be kicked out beyond visiting hours and even threatening to hex anyone who dared try. At one point, it had been an open question whether Hermione would survive the childbirth. Remembering how Rose had been an almost ridiculously easy baby hadn't helped things.

"I'm not trying to take advantage of you, nursing Lily..." Hermione was rambling.

"Stop," Harry shook his head.

"But I offered..."

"And I accepted. Believe me, you're doing us a favor. I've been staying up most nights going over documents, and I've read some things that are... encouraging." He kissed her forehead. "I'm bloody _thrilled_ you and Ron are trying for another baby. Just... _please_ be careful, little sister." He couldn't stress it enough. Harry knew that if Ron lost Hermione, he, Harry, in turn would lose Ron. His brother-in-law had already gone through the agony of having Hermione taken away from him once long ago, and this second time more recent. Ron Weasley refused to ride that gauntlet again. But he also wanted to do everything in his power to make his wife happy. If that meant going for broke and becoming pregnant with a third baby, he'd take that risk. But Harry also knew that, in a scenario where Ron would have to choose between his wife and his baby, he'd choose his wife, hands down, no contest. Ron loved Hermione that much.

Hermione hugged him. "I will." She kissed his cheek, then blew another kiss in Lily's direction. Harry watched her as she descended the landing, called to Ron, and the tell-tale crack of them Disapparating could be heard.


	3. Chapter 3: Working Some Contacts

**Chapter 3: Working Some Contacts**

Harry could hear the heavy breathing pulsing through the receiver on the phone of his work office. Normally, he would have taken the call in his private study at home, but the risk of Ginny eavesdropping was too great. Harry could spin it all he liked, but he was technically going behind his wife's back, phoning Big D. And besides, he didn't think reaching back into this part of his past would ever become comfortable.

At last, his cousin spoke. "Well, it's sure as hell no symptom of breast cancer that I know."

"Mm-hmm," Harry murmured, jotting down some notes on a pad. "Have you seen it in other women, though? Could you ask around of your OBGYN colleagues?"

"I bloody could try, but if there was a phenomenon like this, we would know. There'd be research conducted. You don't think..." and Dudley's voice dropped down to a whisper. "you don't think it's a _magic_ thing, do you?"

Harry shook his head. "Duds, I have two other children, and four sisters-in-law with nine pregnancies between them. Nothing - _nothing_ like this has been seen before, at least in my family."

"Well, in the absence of that, here's one thing I can tell you: tell Ginny to maintain close physical contact with your daughter as often as possible. You showed some quick ingenuity, asking your sister-in-law to step up to the plate, but don't let that become a crutch. It ruddy well might come back to bite you in the ass."

Harry grimaced. "All right. Thanks, Big D. Fancy a round of drinks next Saturday week? I owe you."

"No more than I owe you," and Harry could actually hear the smile in his voice. "You saved my life. I can never pay you back."

"You already are. I never thought we'd get to the point where we could talk like this. Cheers, mate. Give Riley my love." He hung up.

* * *

On a slow Sunday morning, Harry bustled through Diagon Alley, proceeding to the Leaky Cauldron. It helped that the person he was trying to meet was married to the landlady of this place. There would be no confusion about meeting time or location.

And there was his old friend now, in a booth, which he now promptly rose out of to shake hands.

"Sorry getting here right at the tape, Nev; the boys were restless this morning." Harry gave Professor of Herbology Neville Longbottom an enthusiastic handshake before falling into the seat across from him.

"Nah, you gave me a perfect excuse to catch up. I'm sorry I couldn't make the Christmas party last year at the Burrow. Send Molly my regrets, will you?" Neville folded his calloused hands on the table. Harry noticed, but didn't comment on, the palpable scars residing there. Ginny had told him, through the years, some of the horror stories of Hogwarts while he and his friends had been on the run. Neville was a leading man in most of them. He was godfather to Albus, eagerly accepting the assignment. " 'Sides, Gin's one of my best mates. Anything that concerns her concerns me. I didn't tell Hannah; she'd be in a right state if I did."

Harry nodded his thanks. Neville leaned back in his booth, stroking his chin contemplatively. "It's certainly something I've never heard of, a woman preparing to nurse but having no milk. How have you even kept this kid _alive_? Formula? Gin doesn't seem the type to go for that."

"She's not," Harry agreed. "Hermione actually volunteered to nurse Lily with some of her breast-milk left over from Hugo."

"Props to her, then," Neville mused, raising an eyebrow. "And Ron just went along with this?"

"Would you believe me if I told you he was easier to convince than Ginny?"

"No." The pair laughed. Neville got out a pen and pad and began scribbling notes down. Harry watched him work, recognizing that look in his eyes. Neville had been the best Herbology protege in a generation when they were in school, even getting fuller marks than Hermione in the subject. There had been little doubt that he would take over the post after Professor Sprout retired.

"Right," Neville finally spoke, laying his quill flat. "I think... I might have something." He re-read his notes again, and then brightened, filling Harry with hope. "Yes, this could totally WORK! It'll take me a few more weeks though. Think 'Mione has enough left in her till then?"

"I'll ask Ron, but I think so."

"Just make sure that Hugo isn't getting shafted. He needs his mother's milk, too, at only five months old." Harry kicked himself. The health of his youngest nephew... he hadn't thought of that. "And you might wanna think about swallowing your pride and going for some formula. Finding one that's appropriate may be trial and error, but that's the risk you'll have to run." Neville pocketed his notes and shook Harry's hand. "I'll call you with anything I come up with."

"Thanks, mate. You're brilliant, you are!" And Harry gathered his briefcase and rushed from the Leaky.


	4. Chapter 4: Once and For All

**Chapter 4: Once and For All**

Later that same afternoon, there was a whoosh of green flames as Hermione stepped from the Potter's fireplace, Ron right on her heels. James and Albus were on the floor, chattering enthusiastically, and Lily was bouncing in her playpen, watching the telly with her parents sitting on the couch.

"Afternoon, all. Just here to check in with Lils."

Lily, who by now, had spotted her godmother and recognized the sound of her voice, bubbled and babbled and reached for her with a grin. "Mu... Mummy!"

Everyone in the room froze, even James, who knew enough to know that Lily was directing the endearing title to the wrong person. Harry could only stare at the ceiling; Ginny looked shocked and sullen. Ron was making no effort to hide the fact that he had a hand clapped over his mouth, tamping down a heaving laugh. Albus was the only one oblivious to the tension in the room. Even if magical babies developed skills much faster than their Muggle peers, there was never a mistake of this magnitude.

For her part, Hermione felt her cheeks burn, as she gaped at her niece in disbelief. She recovered quickly, letting out a forced laugh, trilling in baby-talk as she crossed to the playpen. "Oh, no, Lily Bear! I'm not Mummy! I'm Auntie Hermione." Ever the scholastic mind, Hermione knelt beside her niece and pointed to herself. "Auntie," she sounded out. "Now, who's that?" She pointed to Harry. "Who's that?"

"Daddy!" Lily squealed.

"And who am I?"

Lily cocked her head inquisitively. "Mummy."

"No," Hermione patiently shook her head. "I'm Auntie."

A pause, and then Lily babbled out. "Auntie-Mummy."

Ron hid his face in his hand. "This just keeps getting weirder..."

Desperate, Hermione turned Lily around in her playpen, and pointed towards Ginny, ready to correct the record. But Ginny was already standing up and stalking for the stairs.

"Why don't you just adopt her right now? Have a blast!"

Hermione gasped as if struck, and Ron looked serious for the first time all afternoon, clearly ready to go after his little sister. Harry just sent a sheepishly apologetic grin to his best mates, imploring them to let it go for now and, sighing, Hermione lifted Lily from the playpen, ready to nurse her.

* * *

Ginny's mood did not improve throughout the rest of the week. She and Harry had a huge row about going to the weekly family Friday Night Dinner at the Burrow. Finally, Harry threw down the hammer and said that if she didn't come, he would simply go alone, with the kids and slog it out with them for the night in her old bedroom. So it was that Ginny trailed after her husband and three children on Friday evening, looking thoroughly sour.

The Potters were the last to arrive, and like a heat-seeking missile, Lily's eyes landed on Hermione's, even though her aunt was clear across the room. She squirmed in her father's arms, whimpering when he didn't immediately go to Hermione.

"Lily, hush now, sweetheart..." Harry murmured.

"Mu... MUMMY!" Lily wailed, reaching for Hermione. "MUMMY!"

All 26 of the Weasley relatives fell silent, clearly seeing for whom Lily was reaching ... and for whom she wasn't.

"Um, Lils? Mummy's back there!" George tried to crack, pointing to Ginny standing in the doorway, who looked like she was about to burst into tears any second.

Bill looked confused, swiveling to Hermione. "She calls you Mum?"

Hermione could not bear to look at anybody. "We've... we've been trying to get her to stop..." she whispered.

"Dinner is ready!" Molly's voice cracked in odd places as she practically threw the meal down onto the long table. Harry preemptively took a place between Ginny and Hermione, reaching around behind his wife's back to feed Lily her first wave of slightly solid foods. Occasionally, because he was sitting closer, George helped.

Arthur, the family patriarch, finally laid down his napkin. "So: what happy news do my children and grandchildren have to share with me this week?"

Ginny glanced into her bowl, lowering her spoon from her lips. "Ron and Hermione have a new addition to the family."

Hermione swiveled around to gape at her sister-in-law. Then her eyes locked onto Harry's, fear and looming betrayal there. _Did you tell?_

 _No_ , Harry silently reassured her.

"Or is it Harry and Hermione? I'm not quite sure, she seems to be having a time deciding who the father is." Ice was warmer than the tone of Ginny's voice. Molly's mouth fell open. Percy was stuttering, and George looked like he was squeezing his brain too hard, trying desperately to find a joke to lighten the mood. Change the subject. _Anything_.

Harry gnashed his teeth. "Ginny," he snarled. "Shut. Up."

"NO I BLOODY WELL WILL NOT!" Ginny screamed, leaping to her feet. "My own daughter thinks this tramp is her mother! I only labored with the child for twenty ruddy hours! Change the diapers. But, no, Hermione can just waltz in and breastfeed and do everything perfect as usual, while I'm the failure! I bet Lily would _love_ to have her as a mother!"

Harry was gawking. Never, in all his life (and he had seen the Dursleys do some pretty barking mad shit, not the least of which was putting bars on his bedroom window), had he witnessed a scene like the one that was currently exploding around him. Hermione was in tears, the salt streaming down her cheeks. To his eternal credit, Ron looked like he wanted to rush to the defense of his wife _and_ his brother-in-law.

Ginny's red hair whipped around as she surveyed the Golden Trio, leaving her wrath particularly for Harry and Hermione. "You all deserve each other!" she hissed, and fled from the room. Ron leapt out of his seat, and only Harry's hand on his arm stayed him.

"Ron... let it go." And Harry prowled after his wife.

* * *

He found her in the sitting room, arms folded around herself, and turned away at an angle, on the love seat.

"What in the BLOODY HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?" He hadn't meant to start having a row right away, but he had never - never seen his wife act that way. Ginny raised her eyes to her husband's and all he could find there was cold, unfeeling steel enrolled in deep blue.

"Problem?" she scoffed. "There's no problem. Not according to _you_ , anyway."

"Well, you've obviously _got_ a problem," Harry snapped. "Spit it out, will you?" And in his mind, as she looked at him, he was seventeen years old again, saying those very words to her brother before he stormed off on a cold, dark night. Merlin... she sometimes looked so much like Ron...

Ginny slowly stood. "All right... I'll spit it out. If you wanna run off and raise our daughter with Hermione, why don't you just say so?"

Harry's mouth fell open, and his throat tickled in disbelief. "Where in the _ruddy_ _hell_...?"

"You were in love with her once! You might _still_ be in love with her!" Ginny raved.

Harry couldn't help it. He burst into laughter. Long, deep, rumbling laughter. He barely even noticed when a blazing Ginny whipped out her wand. Let her try her Bat-Bogey Hex!

"Don't you dare laugh at me, Harry James Potter! Don't you _dare_! I know what I see!"

"Then join the ruddy club! I hear they have jackets!" Harry snapped.

Ginny blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"You're not the first person to wonder about Hermione and I, _my love_ ," and Harry's voice dripped heavily on the last two syllables. "And you might not be the last. Even though I am happily married!"

"What are you on about? There are others?"

"Yes. Would you like a list?" Harry started counting on his fingers. "Let's see: there was Cho Chang. And Krum. Professor McGonagall. Even your _mum_ thought there was something there, once upon a time! But let me spell it out for you, Ginevra Weasley Potter:" and his face got quite close. "There has _never_ been, nor will there _ever_ be, anything more than familial love between Hermione and I. We are pretty much brother and sister - that's it!"

"Then why are you constantly protecting her?" In a slight improvement, Ginny's voice had at least grown quieter, if still raised. Harry was certain the whole rest of the family was hearing them row. "I watched you the night Hugo was born - you looked like you'd gone mad with worry! Ron did, too, but at least he had a reason to be; she is his _wife_ and the mother of his children -"

"SHE WAS TORTURED!" Harry bellowed. Ginny stumbled back as if physically smacked, her face white.

"Wh... what?"

Harry breathed long and hard. "I never told you... in the spring of '98... Voldemort's lackeys captured us." His eyes filled with tears. "Bellatrix separated Ron and I from Hermione..." His voice broke. "She used Crucio on her... and 'Mione was all alone... Ron's never looked so scared - _I've_ never been so scared. And the night Hugo came, she... she was so small in that hospital bed; we thought for a minute there she was going to leave us."

"But she didn't," Ginny stammered. "Hermione and Hugo are happy and healthy and safe; Hugo's so strong..." She shook her head. "But that still doesn't give her the right to take my child away from me!"

"She isn't taking Lily away from you! Or replacing you! Or anything! Do you even _realize_ how much nursing Lily has helped Hermione?"

"How?"

"She has post-partum, Gin! Honestly, did you even _go_ to Hogwarts?" Harry hadn't meant for it to slip out; he had promised Hermione that he would keep her secret, but it seemed like the only way to explain his point, to get it across.

Ginny's eyes widened. Slowly, she shook her head.

"She told me one day when she was up in the nursery, feeding Lily. It's put her in such a right state, she and Ron are trying for another baby."

His wife gasped.

"That's between you, me and these walls," Harry ordered sternly.

Ginny smirked. "Like _that's_ ever helped before." They both knew the rest of the family was straining so they didn't miss one wretched word.

"And as to your other question," Harry continued. "I protect Hermione because I know what it's like to be bullied. And she's never had a sibling like you have in spades! I _had_ a sibling, sort of, and he was a useless waste of space until we were both nearly adults!" He was encouraged to hear Ginny giggle at that crack about his cousin. "Do you know that when I got wind that she kissed Krum after the Yule Ball, I punched Krum in the nose?"

Outside in the kitchen, George was periodically checking and re-checking that his Extendable Ear was working. Upon hearing the mention of Krum, Ron pumped his fist, grinning. "Go on ya, mate!"

Hermione swatted him. "Stop it!" Even as she was trying to hide her own grin.

"Me and Krum could barely string a sentence between us at Bill and Fleur's wedding! It was only at yours and my wedding reception that we decided to bury the hatchet!" Harry sighed heavily. Then he got an idea and fished out his wand. He held out his hand. "Come on, Ginny. I wanna show you something."

Nervously, Ginny took her husband's palm. Then, Harry waved his wand.

It was an advanced charm, one that allowed you to see a memory without having to use a Pensieve. There was the tent, lit late at night, a young Hermione sitting sadly listening to music on the wireless. Then, Harry approached, reached for her hands and began to dance with her. Pretty soon, the pair were laughing and boogeying around, ending with Hermione resting her head on Harry's shoulder.

And then they stopped. There was a long pause as the youthful apparitions of Harry and Hermione just stared at each other. Back in the present, Ginny held her breath. Then, Hermione turned sadly away. The memory winked out.

"Ron was gone..." Ginny murmured. "I knew he'd shacked up with Bill and Fleur at Shell Cottage..."

Harry nodded. "That was the only time we felt something... _charged_ between us. But she and I came to understand that it was more out of loneliness than anything else. She was broken-heartened, delirious with worry for Ron's safety. I was missing you, tracking you on the Marauder's Map most nights in my bunk. Hermione told me later that she knew, in her heart, that she was practically married to Ron and that she wanted to remain faithful. I felt the same about you. And that was it. We never discussed it again."

Ginny looked bewildered. "Why didn't you tell me any of this?" she whispered.

"Because, whether you want to admit it or not... I was trying to protect you, too."

Ginny shook her head. But Harry was relieved to see that she was smiling. "So dark, so dark indeed, these secrets that you keep..."

Harry took his wife in his arms. "You think you've had it bad, just ask Ron about the night he came back to the Hunt. Wondering about Hermione and I was the primary reason he left." Ginny stared at him, and he kissed her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. " _Now_ do you understand?"

Ginny bobbed her head. "Yeah. I do."

"Why don't we go back in?"

Just as quickly, Ginny was rapidly shaking her head No. "I can't face them."

Harry chuckled. "You've got a lot to learn about forgiveness, Gin. If I can carry on a civil conversation with my cousin who tormented me for years, you can face your own sister-in-law after one outburst."

Ginny and Harry emerged from the sitting room to hear a scraping of chairs and feet; the last few people were still falling into their perches around the table. Harry raised an eyebrow, but said nothing else, while Ginny only had eyes for Hermione. Lip quivering, she burst into wracking sobs and ran into Hermione's arms.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... What I said was... _unspeakable_!"

Both women were weeping. "I forgive you," Hermione said simply, even as she also cried. Over Ginny's shoulder, she observed Harry.

"Do _I_ need to ask for forgiveness?" he rumbled low. He still felt bad about spilling secrets.

Hermione gave him a watery smile. "You already have it, big brother."


	5. Chapter 5: Back On Track

**Chapter 5: Back on Track**

Ginny warily eyed the potion in the vial pinched between her thumb and forefinger. "You sure this will work?" she asked her husband.

"Positive. Hermione's overseeing the patent application Neville sent in. And if you can't trust Neville, you should at least trust me."

Ginny threw back the potion, downing it like a shot in one gulp. Harry nodded in approval. "We'll have to wait a few hours. Let's test it when Lily wakes up from her nap."

A few hours later, they did just that. Lily latched on right away, just as she always had. But this time... she began to feed!

Ginny squealed. "It's working! It's _working_! Neville is a _genius_!"

"I'll tell him you said that!" Harry laughed.

Once Lily had had her fill, Ginny put her over her shoulder and burped her. The little baby nuzzled into Ginny's shoulder. "Mummy..."

Ginny gasped, blue eyes pricking with tears. "Did she just...?" Harry beamed.

There was a WHOOSH of green flame from downstairs, sound of heels on the landing. Then Hermione came in like a whirling dervish. "Did it work?"

Ginny and Harry eagerly nodded. Lily raised a somewhat still-sleepy head at her aunt's entrance. "Auntie..." she murmured.

Hermione giggled. "Very good, Lily! Auntie's so proud of you!"

Ginny turned back to her brother's wife. "Thank you. For everything you've done."

Hermione beamed. "Anything for my sister."


End file.
